girard



`L. B. GIRARD.

l sTAPLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. l2. |917.

Patented Jan. 7,` 1919.

UNITED STATE. PA., w

FIFIQE.

LOUIS B. GIRARD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORIA, ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSI(.rNMEN'IS,v

TO I-IIMSELF, AND JOI-IN P. IVHITMORE, OF SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

STAPLE.

1,290,173. Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed October 2, 1916, Serial No. 123,436. Divided and this application filed March 12,

Patented Jan. "2', i919.

1917. Serial No. 154,162.

To all whom it mag/concern.'

Be it known that I, LOUIS B. GIRARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and lState of California, have invented a new and useful Staple, of 'which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a staple `adapted for use in fastening shades on shade rollers, or for similar purposes, and the main object of the invention is to provide a staple that can be cut from a continuous strip of sheet metal, without waste of material and with most eflicient use of the metal as regards the strength Vand holding capacity of the staple.

The present application-is a division of my application Serial Number 123,436, filed Oct. 2, 1916, for window shade mounter. In that application, as well as in other applications ofmy invention, the staple is intended to be driven immediately upon formation thereof, and as a part of the same operation, but my invention, as regards the construe` tion or form of the staple is not dependent on suoli use thereof, as the staple may be formed as an article of manufacture and applied as a fastening means, by hand or otherwise, at any time after its formation.

In staples for window shades, etc., it is desirable that the staple shall cover and engage with as large a surface of the shade material as possible, in order to distribute the strain on the material as much as possible and prevent the cloth from being torn from the roller by sudden pull or otheuwise. My invention provides for such maximum distribution of the gripping action of the staple with a minimum amount of metal used.

My invention also provides a staple which is adapted to fit on the curved surface of the material when on the shade roller, so as to give a closer grip and a neater and smoother finish to the roller.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention, and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank strip from which the staples are made.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the manner in which the staple prongs are cut from the side of the strip and bent down.

Fig. 3 is a. side elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the finished staple,

and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively side and front views thereof, the staple prongs being shown in these figures as bent down but not clenched.

The blank 1` from which the staples are made may consist of a thin ribbon or strip of soft steel, or other sheet metal, and the staples are made `therefrom by cutting off sections of the strip in such manner that cach out forms the rear edge of the severed staple and the `front edge of the succeeding' staple. Each cut leaves the forward end of the strip with a projecting central prong 2, of trian gular shape, with a shoulder 3 at each side of said prong, and with oblique edge i beyondA each shoulder 3 and extending rearwardly and outwardly therefrom to the edge of the strip 1. To form a staple, suitable die means are applied to the strip in such manner as to make oblique cuts 6 at opposite edges of the strip 1, so that the rear edges of these cuts will form the oblique edges 4 for the next staple after the one which is being formed. Concurrently with or subsequently to this cutting operation, the prongs portion 7 which is thus cut from the strip 1 is bent down, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a prong 7 extending down at each side of the strip, and the prong 2 at the forward end of the strip 1 is also bent down as shown in said figure. A V-shaped cut is then made in the strip 1, having its apex at or about the line extending between t-he side shoulders 3 and at the base of the triangular 4prong 2, and the lines of said cut extending parallel to the oblique cuts 6 aforesaid, as shown at 10, and terminating in laterally extending cuts 12 which are in line with the bases of the prongs 7. This cut severs the staple already formed and at the same time com pletes the cutting of the forward edge for the next staple. The said cutting and for1ning operations are preferably so carried out that the two sides, or branches 11 and 11 forming the top of the staple are bent so as to be convex on top and concave below, thereby enabling the top of the staple to conform more closely to the shape of the material on a cylindrical roller. Y

The. two branches 11 and 11 top terminate forwardly at the base of the fouwardprong 2 and are connected only by such prong, and they extend obliquely rearward froi'n such prong to the rear prong, in such manner that each of said branches has the forward prong at its forward inner corner and a rear prong at its rear outerl cornen By this ineans the greatest possible extension or covering capacity of the staple top is obtained, separating the prongs as far as possible and enabling the staple top to cover as much of the material as possible, for a given weight of metal.

It will be understood that when the staple is being made in a stapling machine the prongs 2 and 7 will be driven as they are formed and will be clenched in the goods in such driving operation. My invention relates to the formation of the prongs with relation to the staple top irrespective of ,whether the prongs are clenched as stated or are left in position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, for use in a subsequent stapling operation.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A staple formed of sheet metal and coinprising a forward prong, a top portion formed with two branches terminating for* .wardly at the base of said prong and extending obliquely rearward and outward therefrom, and a rear prong at the rear outer corner of each branch of the top portion of the staple.

Q. A staple formed of sheet inetal and formed with two top portions, a downwardly bent prong at the forward ends of said two top portions and a prong at the rear end of each of said top portions, said top portions being separated by a V-shapedcut extending forwardly to the base of the forward prong so that said top portions are united only by said forward prong.

3. A staple comprising a forward prong, two top portions extending reanwardly from said prong and connected solely by the prong, and a rear prong at the rear end of each of said top portions, the outside edges of said top portions extending obliquely rearward and outward and the inside edges extending parallel to the outside edges, from the rear prongs to the forward prong.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 26th day of February 1917.

LOUIS B. GIRARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Paten-ta, Washington, D. C. 

